HARTFORD >> The state Supreme Court has ruled that Connecticut officials did not violate state law when they approved a natural gas expansion plan in 2013 without studying potential environmental impacts.

The association alleged state law requires an environmental impact evaluation before approval of such a plan. The Supreme Court sided with state officials, who argued the plan did not constitute “actions which may significantly affect the environment” that are defined in state law and require an environmental impact study.

Dennis Schain, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said agency officials were pleased with the ruling of the state’s high court.

“This upholds one of the pillars of our state energy policy,” Schain said, referring to the comprehensive energy strategy that Connecticut developed in 2013. The state is in the midst of updating that policy, the details of which will be released soon, he said.

Chris Herb, president of CEMA, said the court’s ruling took a very narrow view in its interpretation of state law.

“Based on the way the court viewed, DEEP officials would have to be out there digging the trenches for the new pipes in order for an environmental impact study to be required,” Herb said. “I find it ironic that an agency that is supposed to be protecting the environment spent all this time fighting to keep from following the rules that are in place.”

Having had its claim rejected, Herb said CEMA officials will try to convince lawmakers during the General Assembly’s 2017 session to change the law regarding when the environmental impacts of energy projects needs to be studied.